Home / Arts and Entertainment / RAYE Fights for Songwriters' Rights, Wins Industry Accolade
RAYE Fights for Songwriters' Rights, Wins Industry Accolade
3 Oct
Summary
- RAYE receives Ivors Academy Honour for advocacy on fairer pay and representation for songwriters
- Calls for "points on the master" and elimination of tactics that pit songwriters against each other
- Kae Tempest also honored, performs a capella song celebrating trans identity
On October 2nd, 2025, the Ivors Academy held a ceremony in London to honor advocates and innovators who champion songwriters and composers. RAYE, a 27-year-old musician, was recognized for her tireless efforts to improve representation and pay for songwriters in the music industry.
RAYE has been a leading voice in campaigns that resulted in major U.K. labels committing to providing per diem and cover expenses for songwriters attending their writing sessions - a first-of-its-kind initiative. In her acceptance speech, RAYE emphasized that songwriting should be about "grafting and talent, not about how rich you are." She called for more changes, including "points on the master" in reference to royalty splits, and urged songwriters to unite and fight for better compensation.
Kae Tempest, a two-time Mercury Prize nominee, was also honored at the ceremony. Tempest, who recently came out as non-binary and now uses he/him pronouns, delivered a powerful a capella performance of their song "I Stand on the Line," which celebrates their identity. The performance was part of the ceremony that recognized other industry luminaries, including Sir Richard Branson and Kanya King CBE.
